Ch 83: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

The first wine they tasted was the grape wine.

The purplish-red liquid was poured into the glass cups, releasing a mix of fruit and wine aromas. Before taking a sip, each young lady couldn’t help but hold up the cup to admire the wine.

“Can grapes really be used to make wine?”

They were usually allowed to drink some wine, mostly rice wine or warmed huangjiu (yellow wine), but if they were to choose between those and the fruit wine in front of them, they would undoubtedly pick the latter without hesitation.

“Why aren’t you all drinking? I’ll go first then.”

One of the girls, dressed in a light green jacket and skirt, was the boldest. Seeing that the others were only murmuring without drinking, she raised her wrist and said, “Lu, I wish you a joyful birthday and happiness year after year.”

With that, she lifted the glass cup and finished her wine in two gulps, savoring the taste afterward.

This grape wine had indeed captured the essence of the fruit—sweet and sour, with a hint of the grape skin’s unique bitterness. But instead of being unpleasant, the bitterness blended with the lingering aftertaste of the wine, creating a flavor that lingered on the tongue.

Seeing her face filled with delight, the other girls, including Han Lu, couldn’t resist any longer. They all raised their cups and began to drink.

“It’s sweet with a bit of tartness. It’s perfect for clearing the palate during a meal.”

Han Lu licked her lips and realized she liked this wine.

Another girl chimed in, “I love this wine—it’s stronger than rice wine.”

“You’re such a girl, looking for strong wine?”

As young girls often do, they erupted into laughter over the playful comment.

Once the round of grape wine was finished, the nanny signaled to the maids not to pour any more wine for now. After all, even fruit wine could make them tipsy if they drank too much.

“Enough with the wine, let’s start the meal,” Han Lu said, smiling.

Her personal maid was the first to pick up chopsticks and serve her food, followed by the attendants of the other guests.

The bite-sized pieces of squirrel fish, coated in a layer of orange-red sauce, were sweet and savory, with the fish itself tender and crispy.

As for the silver thread beef, Han Lu noticed the fine threads beneath the meat and asked, “Do you know what the silver threads are made of?”

One of the kitchen maids replied that it was made from vermicelli.

Han Lu smiled.

“No wonder this chef is famous. The silver threads were made like this.”

Such creativity was impressive—no wonder he was renowned.

Tasting the beef, she found it tender and delicious. Noticing her enjoyment, the maid promptly served her another portion.

When it came time to eat the candied apples, a special attendant was on hand to serve.

“This dish should be eaten while hot,” the maid advised.

Using clean chopsticks dipped in water, the maid picked up the apples, twirled the fine sugar threads around them, and placed them individually on small plates.

“These sugar threads are as fine as hair.”

“I wonder how they’re made. I’d love to see it for myself.”

By now, the girls realized why this meal brought them such joy.

The reason lay in two words: novelty.

Every dish was new, and each bite held an unknown flavor. Yet, they trusted that even though the taste was uncertain, it would certainly be delicious, never unpleasant.

Eating with this mindset was like walking along a winding path, never knowing what delightful scenery or flavors might await around the next bend.

Half the dishes on the table were already gone, and the girls were about 80% full. Coming from wealthy families, they were trained never to overeat in front of others, so stopping at seven or eight-tenths full was just right.

However, today was different. Though their chopsticks were set down, their wine cups remained in hand.

They had already tasted the persimmon wine, followed by jujube wine, and some preferred the original grape wine. Each girl’s cup now held a different hue of wine. Some, not used to drinking, had already blushed, with their ears turning pink and feeling warm to the touch.

Seeing this, Han Lu feared that if it continued, someone might actually pass out. She quickly said, “Bring the cake over and cut a piece for everyone.”

If they didn’t eat soon, they might miss out.

The maids hurried to clear space on the table, removing the leftovers and replacing them with the hostess’s favorite peony porcelain plates.

Slices of cake, cut into triangles, were placed on the plates, each decorated with a flower and a few pieces of fruit.

The cake was soft.

That was Han Lu’s first impression of the dessert. Pressing down with a small spoon left a dent in the cake, giving her a sense of how delightful it would feel to eat.

Next, she noticed the filling.

She hadn’t expected such a large cake to contain such a rich variety of ingredients inside.

The fluffy yam puree was mixed with juicy fruit pieces, and with the cake all entering the mouth together, it was hard to decide which part to praise more. She realized that none of the three elements could be missing.

Without the cake, it would be ordinary.

Just the sweet yam puree would be too plain, both in taste and appearance.

The chef clearly understood this well and had managed to combine the flavors perfectly while decorating the cake beautifully.

Thinking of the special fruit wine and candy boxes that had been gifted, Han Lu was deeply impressed by the chef’s creativity and skill.

She had to give him a reward!

Determined, Han Lu decided to speak to her father, intending to give the chef a generous reward and perhaps even buy more fruit wine from him.

She smiled as she continued eating her cake, feeling this was one of the best birthdays she had ever had.

After Han Lu went to find her father, it was time for Qin Xia to receive his reward.

Initially, it had been agreed that the pay for preparing the banquet would be 60 taels of silver, but Han Lu’s father handed him a silver note for 100 taels and inquired about the fruit wine.

“My daughter is very fond of your private brew. I tasted some myself and can tell it’s quite different from the common wines on the market.”

To be honest, fruit wine wasn’t really to Han Lu’s father’s taste, as it was too sweet for him. However, its rarity made it special, and he found it enjoyable to taste once in a while.

“Where is your winery located, Boss Qin? I’d like to buy more for personal enjoyment and to give as gifts.”

Upon learning that Qin Xia’s winery was in the same county, Han Lu’s father summoned a servant. “Accompany the carriage when it takes Boss Qin home later, and bring back more fruit wine.”

Throughout the conversation, Han Lu’s father didn’t even ask about the price.

Qin Xia didn’t mention the fact that there were two types of grape wine. He figured that Han Lu’s father would only want the more expensive one anyway.

Tao Ke never expected that after Qin Xia cooked a single banquet at the Han residence, he would return with business in hand.

The first batch of fruit wine wasn’t large, but the Han family alone bought 30 jars, 10 of each variety.

Since the jars were quite small, 10 jars of each really wasn’t that much.

“A jar costs five qian, so thirty jars total to fifteen taels.”

Before leaving, Qin Xia specifically told the Han household’s servant, “My business is in Qinan County, and I don’t come here often. If Master Han wants to buy more wine in the future, just go to the Tao family tavern in town.”

Tao Ke seized the opportunity, handing over a string of coins as a tip for the servant and also telling him the location of his tavern.

The servant happily accepted and promised to report back to his master.

“Master Tao, just wait. I suspect that soon, this wine will be in short supply.”

Qin Xia was right.

In just a few days, a trend of considering fruit wine from the Qin Ji brand as a status symbol swept across Chuntai County.

Following trends is natural for people, and since the Han family was well-known in Chuntai, everyone wanted to taste the Qin Ji’s private brew, which had caught the eye of Master Han.

Thus, during the last month of the lunar year, any household hosting guests and serving two jars of Qin Ji’s private fruit wine would see their table shine with extra prestige.

This was true not only in Chuntai County but also in Qinan County.

The first batch of fruit wine was divided, half going to the tavern. Due to the limited supply, Qin Xia had to spread the word that only regular customers could purchase it.

At the same time, he sent people out to seek more fresh grapes in storage, and the winery hired additional staff. Now, in addition to Zhao and his son, there were three apprentices working day and night to make wine.

They didn’t feel tired, as they were used to working nonstop.

Compared to their previous employer, the current one treated them much better, paid them fairly, didn’t skimp on meals, and even built new quarters for them to live in. The rooms were warm with beds connected to the stove, keeping the cold winter at bay.

With the experience they had gained, the second batch of wine was quickly sealed in jars to ferment and would be ready for sale after the first month of the new year.

Qin Xia calculated that the second batch of wine would be more than double the first. If it all sold, the profit would easily exceed 100 taels.

It was clear that if the winery was run well, earning 800 to 1,000 taels a year wouldn’t be a problem.

And that was just with three types of fruit wine.

With this new business firmly established, Qin Xia felt relieved. Before the year ended, he also checked the accounts with Xing Yiming for Pinyifang.

The candy shop was fully stocked for the new year, so there was no longer a need to “rush.”

Qin Xia understood that overusing scarcity marketing could backfire.

Even so, the shop still had long queues, mostly of customers buying gifts.

There were also peddlers from other counties and villages who came to buy cheaper lollipops from Pinyifang to resell. They bought them for four coins each and sold them for five.

The lollipops, wrapped in paper printed with the “Pinyifang” name, had become well-known throughout the entire Prefecture within a few months.

They were already negotiating with several shopkeepers to expand and test the market by selling the candy in the southern regions after the new year.

The south was a prosperous land of fish and rice, far wealthier than the north. Even though the candy wasn’t cheap, it would still fetch a high price and make a tidy profit there.

“I’ve even thought about opening a branch in the provincial capital.”

Xing Yiming was now fully invested in expanding his business. Although Pinyifang was a partnership, it had grown under his leadership, and he was more passionate about it than he was about Gan Yuanzhai. Clearly, he had put more effort into the candy shop.

Seeing his eagerness, Qin Xia closed the account book and told him about his plans for after the new year.

“You’re moving to the capital?”

Xing Yiming was so surprised that he nearly knocked over the teapot.

Qin Xia nodded. “Apart from the restaurant employees, no one else knows yet.”

Since Xing Yiming was his business partner, Qin Xia thought it best to let him know early.

Xing Yiming suddenly felt like the sky had dimmed.

“Does that mean I’ll never be able to eat your cooking again?”

Qin Xia laughed. “I thought Xing ge would be more concerned about our business.”

Leaning back in his chair, Xing Yiming waved his hand weakly. “I’m not worried about that. You can still send me new candy recipes, so it won’t affect our profits.”

After all, Xing Yiming handled most of the shop’s operations. Qin Xia’s role was mainly to provide capital and recipes, so his absence wouldn’t have much impact.

Qin Xia then said, “Aren’t you curious about why I’m moving to the capital?”

Xing Yiming glanced at him and clicked his tongue, “Do I even need to ask?”

It’s obviously for his Jiu Ge’er in the capital!